Czech Republic

Things to do in Czech Republic

Off in a far corner of the city, tucked between a wooded park and a highway, are three short blocks of Modernist row houses. This was Brno's answer to the larger and much better known Weissenhof Siedlung, which opened in Stuttgart in 1927.

The first Cubist building in Europe, the House of the Black Madonna is located in Old Town, its stark façade and geometric windows contrasting with the surrounding Baroque structures. Designed in 1912 by Josef Gočár, the building was named for a nearby polychrome statue of the Madonna and Child.

The 16th-century Lobkowicz Palace underwent a multimillion-dollar restoration ending in 2007, returning the palace's 60 rooms, including a handsome music salon that hosts daily concerts to their Baroque and Rococo opulence.

Letna Beer Garden is one of the most popular places in Prague to drink beer in the summers. With the gorgeous view over Prague, being located in Letna park, and the short distance to the center, makes this spot a perfect place for warm spring/summer/fall days.

Dominating the city skyline, the twin towers of St. Vitus Cathedral mark the largest and most significant church in the country. Located on the Prague Castle grounds, this Gothic cathedral was founded in 1344, although construction was not completed until 1929.

The buzzy contemporary-arts center that opened in October 2008. One of the first exhibits in this sprawling 1920’s metal factory (redesigned by the contemporary Czech architect Ivan Kroupá) was the enormous installation called Entropa, by Czech artist David Cerný.